1st gen TDI ranger, prerunner style build.

[powerstrokekid]

I have been itching to start a build thread for this and I’m finally starting to make some progress on parts so I guess I’ll start.

GOALS FOR THE TRUCK
The goal here is to build my dream daily driver ranger that can get 30mpg to avoid buying any more commuter cars, or drive my full-size trucks at 9-13mpg.
The truck is a 88 ext cab 4wd ranger. It will be used as a daily driver 99.9% of the time but I want a prerunner style truck as I have wanted one since I was a kid. The truck is getting a BRM TDI engine out of a Volkswagen Jetta mated to the stock ranger 5spd transmission. It will have Dana 44 TTB and a 8.8 both from a 95 f150. Truck will be on coils front and leaf spring rear. This is the bare minimum requirements of the truck, we will see what else I do a long the way. I hope to have the suspension under the truck this year and get the engine swapped in the following year. Money for this project will just depend on how work goes this year and how much my current daily driver will need in surprise repairs.

BACK STORY
I have started building variations of a tdi 3 different times and then life got in the way and everything got sold off.

here is the current ranger. It’s lifted tall with jeep axles and tractor tires but that’s all going

So far I have stripped my last daily driver which was a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta and saved the engine and all the wiring.

One of my 2 OBS daily drivers attempting to crush the Jetta before the scrap guy comes to get it lol

Next I acquired what was left of a 95 f150 for the front ttb and rear axle. I also saved the coil buckets, not sure if I’ll be able to repurpose them on the ranger.

So naturally I live in Ohio so everything’s super rusty. I stripped everything down and to start, I took the rear axle to the sandblaster. I’m going to start with the rear axle, get it regeared and done up the way I want then move on to the front.

I started messing around with making a truss of some kind.

I ordered a diff cover from Ruffstuff

and back from the blaster

Getting an idea where the spring perches need to be

 

[bobbywalter]

ahhhh.... nice!


you can repurpose the buckets for sure....


i have some vms brackets...i was looking for the print online and have tried to contact some guys....i work with a place over in danville ohio that can replicate them...and they will allow you to move the beams inward to easily install the ttb 44.

but....with say a 4 inch equivalent lift for final ride height....even if you run 235 15 tires with 355 gears....i cant see it cracking 25 mpg for average mpg. if you returned it to a stock axles and ride height i can see 30 mpg being a normal thing cruising....but they get serious drag over factory height....my truck on 33's at 55 mph can barely crack 20 now.....my 6.5 with a 5088 pump would do 25 in perfect conditions but 20 plus was easy at 55.....though i am running what is equivalent of 5 to 6 in of lift....and no turbo.... the slop in drag is estimated to actually improve mpg or at least not hurt it....but i dont trust my 660 block...i just let it do what it does and live with it.

theres quite a few of these vw swaps around....and for sure they will beat just about anything in mpg overall...but not really any of them were over 3 in lift and on big suspension that i recall.


i am looking forward to your results! get er done buddy.....won't know till your running it.....might do 35 mpg at cruise by the time you dial it in....and that would be awesome.....but even 20 plus on big axles is 5-8 mpg better then a gasser.

 

[powerstrokekid]

ahhhh.... nice!


you can repurpose the buckets for sure....


i have some vms brackets...i was looking for the print online and have tried to contact some guys....i work with a place over in danville ohio that can replicate them...and they will allow you to move the beams inward to easily install the ttb 44.

but....with say a 4 inch equivalent lift for final ride height....even if you run 235 15 tires with 355 gears....i cant see it cracking 25 mpg for average mpg. if you returned it to a stock axles and ride height i can see 30 mpg being a normal thing cruising....but they get serious drag over factory height....my truck on 33's at 55 mph can barely crack 20 now.....my 6.5 with a 5088 pump would do 25 in perfect conditions but 20 plus was easy at 55.....though i am running what is equivalent of 5 to 6 in of lift....and no turbo.... the slop in drag is estimated to actually improve mpg or at least not hurt it....but i dont trust my 660 block...i just let it do what it does and live with it.

theres quite a few of these vw swaps around....and for sure they will beat just about anything in mpg overall...but not really any of them were over 3 in lift and on big suspension that i recall.


i am looking forward to your results! get er done buddy.....won't know till your running it.....might do 35 mpg at cruise by the time you dial it in....and that would be awesome.....but even 20 plus on big axles is 5-8 mpg better then a gasser.

What are vms brackets? I planned to use go fast explorers d44 swap brackets to mount the beams to the ranger.
as far as fuel economy, I’m basing those number off what I have seen from other tdi swaps. I plan to run 33s and 4.10s to keep the tdi in its happy place but I agree, no way of knowing till I drive it. If it got 25 that would be awesome too.

 

[ericbphoto]

As soon as you lift a Ranger, aerodynamically, it's like towing the Space Shuttle's parachutes.

 

[powerstrokekid]

I finally got around to welding some bracing on my full size 8.8. Is it necessary? Idk but I do plan to jump this thing at least once lol

I welded every other 2” stitch then came back and welded the rest hoping nothing would warp. Seems ok

Reused a crossmember I had laying around. Everything is recycled.

I also got a diff rebuild kit with timken bearings and I got a set of used ford 4.10 gears for this axle. I need to make a weekend trip to a friend for a trac lock then I will be able to start rebuilding.

 

[bobbywalter]

What are vms brackets? I planned to use go fast explorers d44 swap brackets to mount the beams to the ranger.
as far as fuel economy, I’m basing those number off what I have seen from other tdi swaps. I plan to run 33s and 4.10s to keep the tdi in its happy place but I agree, no way of knowing till I drive it. If it got 25 that would be awesome too.

villain motor sports.

iirc the gfe swap brackets are in that style...but are not in lift positions.....the go fast stuff more or less were oem ride height and you ran modded beam to suit lift and travel..


i know with larger motor swaps some people were fitting and welding in f150 k members because it was less welding then some of the kits...and provided lift at the same time. steering geometry was a train wreck though.

 

[powerstrokekid]

I’ll have to check them out. Yes I believe the GFE brackets don’t provide lift which I’m ok with. I also know steering will have to be custom.

 

[powerstrokekid]

Haven’t done much lately. I drove a few hours for a Dana 44 that supposedly had 4.10 gears. Took it apart when I got home and it is 3.54 so that sucks. But these beams are cleaner and I got 4” lift coils with them.

also added a fill plug to the 8.8 diff cover, I’m going to put a sight glass in the level hole.

 

[sgtsandman]

Junkyard tried that crap with me once. I wanted a 4.10 and they gave me a 3.73.

I had opened the differential to change the fluid and install an LSD when I discovered the fast one they tried to pull.

I took it right back and chewed them out for it. The counter guy tried to argue with me about it. I got the axle I wanted but never went back after that.

 

[powerstrokekid]

So I made some bracing for the driver side beam. As well as added a fill plug

it might not be the prettiest but I’m using an old tombstone welder. I sprayed it with Eastwood after blast so it won’t rust while it sits. Passenger beam next. Then I still need to rebuild the 8.8. Once both axles are done then I will bring the ranger home.

 

[ericbphoto]

Nice job. Might want a drain plug, also. To me, that’s the irritating part about a TTB axle.

 

[Dantheman1540]

Just found this and what a sweet build! I’ve been eyeing those TDI swap kits keep making progress!

 

[powerstrokekid]

So I haven’t posted in awhile…a friend called and said come get this ranger. For free. It’s rust free from North Carolina, just has some damage at the B pillar, bed and door. 2.8 5spd 4x4 been sitting for 15 years.

so I’m not sure if I’m going to use this for the TDI swap but a free, complete truck could really speed things up…

 

[powerstrokekid]

I stripped the interior and pulled the dash in search of all the mice nests.

Dyed the nasty carpet after washing.

made a shifter from stuff laying around

put seats I had been storing Up stairs in.

fixed the mirror with a spare I had

 

[powerstrokekid]

The dash pad was cracked really bad and I always wanted to graft a gauge pod to the dash so why not now. Still using parts laying around.

the gauge cluster had a lot of dirt in it and the gauge needles were faded almost white. I cleaned and painted them. Installed LEDs.

Cheapest steering wheel summit had and cut up the old one to adapt.